Page 23 of The Alpha’s Rejected Arranged Mate (Bluebell Valley Wolves #3)

Where the fuck was he?

Why didn’t he tell her they had found Dukiel’s fucking palace?

Why did he insist on treating her like she wasn’t good enough or strong enough … or was it that he didn’t trust her anymore? That she was some sort of leak that Dukiel could spy on because of these damn nightmares she was having?

As soon as Derek returned to the town, he grabbed a bunch of fresh warriors and chased out into the forest again. Elin had seen the commotion from her room, but it wasn’t until Christine had come to make sure she stayed in bed that she had learned what happened. Finn was still out there. He’d been separated from the others, and Dukiel had him in his grasp. Would she ever get him back?

“Fucker,” she seethed because anger was easier to feel than this gut-wrenching fear. “Why couldn’t you have at least prepared me for… for…”

Losing you.

How did Mica do this? How did she endure the fear of Hayden going out and never coming back? How did Tess? Elin hadn’t thought about it before. How did one handle this constant stress that they might end up a young widowed mother?

Her hands started to shake, so she left the window and went to the desk. The gun Christine had procured for her sat there in pieces. Elin practiced putting it together, timing herself. She didn’t like the idea of a loaded gun sitting around the house, but she also needed to be able to defend herself at a moment’s notice. Back in Bluebell Valley, the demons had recently started to learn how to circumvent the salt barriers—though they couldn’t pass over them, they could still touch the pipes the salt was stuffed into.

Not to mention the whole unpossessed rogues serving Dukiel thing. They could come into town without worrying about salt.

She got the gun armed and ready in ten seconds. Good. Oh, the shifters might think it was a dishonorable thing, but what the fuck did honor matter? She wasn’t a fighter, and this weapon was the only way she’d be able to protect herself and her baby.

Sighing, Elin took the weapon apart again. One more time. Maybe she could make it quicker.

A knock came on the door. Elin paused. “Who is it?”

“Rosemary. Finn has returned.”

Relief washed through Elin. She grabbed her jacket and stuffed her arms through as she headed for the door. Rosemary looked shocked when she yanked open the door.

“You need to be on bed rest,” Rosemary said.

“I need my mate.” Elin pushed past her, one arm around her belly to keep it from jiggling too much. She was out of breath by the time she got outside and was relieved to see Rosemary had driven there. Finn was being held in the clinic; Derek stood outside the door while the warriors looked anxiously on.

“Luna.” Derek bowed to her. “Shouldn’t you be—”

“Is he hurt?” Elin asked anxiously.

Derek shook his head.

Elin closed her eyes, thanking the Moon Goddess for her mercy. She sagged inward, the sudden release of tension making her feel slightly dizzy. Straightening again, she stepped forward. “I want to see him.”

One of the warriors made a protesting noise. “Luna, it’s too risky. He might be possessed. The demon held him for so long—”

“Was he able to get over the salt barriers?” Elin asked.

Derek nodded.

“And the talismans are still in place?”

“Yes,” Derek said again. “He’s not showing signs of possession. I thought we could do an exorcism just in case.”

Elin shook her head impatiently. “There’s no need for that. If he’s not affected by salt, he’s not possessed. Let me through.”

Derek’s eyebrows arched toward his hairline, but he stepped aside. Good. She wasn’t in the mood for arguing with anyone. She was saving that for her stupid mate who went on a death mission without telling her.

She was ready to be all fired up and ready for verbal bloodshed when she stepped into the room. But the instant she saw Finn sitting on the edge of the examination bed, his hands twisted in his lap and a haunted look in his blue eyes, every bit of anger fled from her. Elin’s breath caught in her lungs, and it took everything in her not to collapse to the floor, sobbing with relief.

Finn looked up, and his eyes widened. “Elin. You should be—”

Elin strode forward and threw her arms around him. She pressed her face into his collar and breathed in his rich, manly scent. “Never do that again.”

“Do what?” Finn lifted her onto the bed next to him, his arms wrapped around her waist.

“Don’t go on missions like that without telling me. I wasn’t prepared, Finn. And then when you didn’t come back… I wasn’t prepared.” Tears flowed down her cheeks. “So never do that again. I know you’re the tough guy who wants to keep things bottled up, but you can’t leave me alone.”

Finn pressed his lips to his temple. “I’m sorry. I thought it would be best not to worry you.”

“Failed.”

He chuckled but grew serious quickly. “Elin… I think… Dukiel cornered me. He talked to me.” In a low voice, he shared everything the archdemon had said. Goosebumps broke out over Elin’s arms as a chill went over her.

“Why do you think he’s so obsessed with taking you as his host instead of just getting a new one if his current one is failing?” Elin asked once he was done.

“That’s what you’re taking from this?” Frustration burned in Finn’s eyes. “Elin—”

“If we can figure out why he’s determined about this, we can figure out how far he’s willing to go,” Elin interrupted quickly.

Finn closed his eyes but nodded. “I’m the perfect host because we’re blood-related. He helped form me. Since I’m half-demon and half-shifter, I have not only the extra power and strength of wolves, but the demon part of me will stop this body from deteriorating. A win-win.”

“So, the demonic influence you saw around me was Dukiel listening in,” Elin said, her brow furrowed. “Using the genetic connection to push his influence onto the baby… But it can’t be as simple as he’s making it out to be. Otherwise, he’ll have seen your entire life.”

Finn tensed, a fire blazing suddenly in his eyes. “How can we be certain he hasn’t? Maybe it’s not the baby he’s listening through. Maybe it’s me.”

A chill swept through her. Elin cupped his face in her hand. “We can’t let him win.”

“No,” Finn murmured. “But maybe it’ll be best if someone else steps up. Maybe they’ll be better suited for this.”

“Or maybe he’s trying to lace you with doubt,” Elin argued.

Finn frowned.

“He could have gone after you for decades, Finn. If he’s connected, he knew you were at the orphanage. Why would he let you grow up there as you if he could just possess you?”

“He can’t. That’s the point, he needs my permission,” Finn argued.

Elin nodded. “And is it easier to manipulate a child into agreeing to allow himself to be possessed or an adult with full knowledge of demons?”

Finn’s eyes widened. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“He’s making you doubt yourself. It’s part of his game.” Elin grasped his hands in hers. “Listen. Christine has an idea. I’m at about twenty weeks right now. She’s not an obstetrician, but she believes that if we can wait until I’m at the equivalent of twenty-six weeks, we can get someone here to do a C-section. It will take right around a week for me to get there if the pregnancy continues to accelerate the way it has been. We can use that time to get the proper equipment and an incubator. He’ll be a preemie, but Christine thinks taking him out early is worth the risk.”

She spoke quickly, wanting to make sure Finn understood the plan before she grew doubtful again. Christine had explained it was risky. Majorly. Infant mortality from being born so early was high. But at twenty-six weeks, there was up to seventy-five percent chance that her son would survive—an awfully low number in Elin’s estimates.

But it might be necessary.

A normal pregnancy had nine months for the mother’s body to grow and change. The rapid growth Elin was undergoing was putting even more pressure on her lungs and heart than she’d realized. Christine was worried about her health and the long-term damages that might come afterward.

That, and Christine had talked more with Rosemary. Finn had been born fully developed, equivalent to nine months. But it’d been difficult on his body, too. He’d been born covered in bruises, and in the first month that she had him here, Rosemary had been certain he wasn’t going to make it.

There wasn’t enough room . And the last ultrasound showed that her son’s heartbeat was stressed. Scheduling an early C-section gave them both the highest chance of survival, in Christine’s medical opinion. The added benefit to this plan would be to bring in another doctor, a surgeon trained in C-sections. And then they’d have a second opinion.

To Elin’s surprise, Finn’s expression closed off when she finished.

“We should take it out now.”

Elin drew back, shocked. She thought they’d moved past this! “You can’t be serious. We talked about this, and you agreed it was my choice!”

“That was before. Don’t you see?” He glared at her stomach with such hatred Elin shied back from him. “It’s not a baby. There is no child here, Elin. It’s Dukiel.”

Elin stood and backed away from him. “No. He’s not Dukiel, Finn. You can’t think like that. We have to give him a chance to live!” Nausea swept over her. “Or do you plan on killing our son as soon as he’s born?”

Finn flinched. He dragged a hand through his hair, his eyes wild. “I’m saying that I don’t think we have a son, Elin. I think… I think Dukiel is just trying to make me think… I think he’s already taken the body. He’s just waiting to transfer the rest of his essence. But he’s already killed our baby.”

This couldn’t be happening.

She stared at him in horror.

Finn winced again and drew away from her. “Please don’t look at me like that. Please. I hate this, too. I’m sorry, Elin. I just… I think that’s… he killed our baby already.”

“No. He didn’t. Our baby is alive, Finn. Look at me. Do you see any influence on me?” Elin spread her arms wide.

Finn let out a shaky breath, his gaze sweeping over her. “No.”

Elin stepped forward again and took his hand in hers. She pressed it to her stomach. On cue, the baby kicked. Finn’s eyes widened. She’d only started feeling the movement recently. Now, she pressed his hand to her belly, making him feel the life inside.

“The only reason you’re afraid is because of what Dukiel said. He’s getting into your head. He wants to tear the pack apart. He wants to make you doubt yourself.” Elin cupped his face carefully. “He’s playing on your fears, Finn. He knows you’re afraid this will kill me, and he’s bringing those fears to the forefront. But there’s no demon around me. This baby is alive. You can feel his life. It’s not Dukiel.”

Finn swallowed hard.

“There’s a reason he kept you in that place as long as he did. We should have Christine check you for trace amounts of drugs. Maybe he put something in the air.” Elin pulled her mate into her embrace and held him tightly. “He’s trying to drive a wedge between us. Because he thinks he can use me to force you to give up.”

“Elin…”

“He lied to you. It’s what demons do.” Elin gazed into his eyes. “But he underestimated you, my love. He won’t win. He won’t beat you.”